Contact Energy has filed resource consent applications with the Tararua District Council for a 177 megawatt (MW) wind farm southeast of Dannevirke.

The Waitahora project on the Puketoi Range would have up to 65 turbines and generate enough electricity to power around 86,000 homes, the company said today.

The site had a good wind resource and was remote, minimising the visual impact of the project, chief executive David Baldwin said.

Waitahora is part of Contact's plan to invest up to $3 billion in about 1400MW of new generation projects, dominated by wind and geothermal power, and including a 200MW gas peaking plant.